Design and Craft News

So don't miss this Thursday's "METAMORPHOSIS," when the talented artist/designers from the California College of the Arts transform the Academy (and possibly you) into something unexpected. Explore a multitude of industrial, interaction, illustration, fashion, furniture and graphic designers from CCA as they showcase an amazing, cutting-edge array of work, highlighting new technologies and innovative ideas that explore the concept of metamorphosis.

Mr. Schwartz, who teaches at the California College of the Arts and owns a firm called Schwartz and Architecture, is used to counseling anxious city dwellers trying to squeeze more room out of small houses. But after watching several clients get in a knot over whether to go with prefabricated or custom construction, he designed a house of his own to prove a point: that custom design doesn’t have to cost much more, and it has all the advantages that come from a bespoke fit.

Watson, 37, has a master's degree in glass from the California College of the Arts in Oakland. He's also executive director of Public Glass, a nonprofit glassblowing workshop in San Francisco's Bayview district - a more expensive program than the one at S.F. State.

"In my work, I'm interested in questioning the things we project onto the notion of craftsmanship — ideas of authenticity, cultural identity," said Smith, chair of sculpture at California College of the Arts in the Bay Area. The piling up is meant to suggest someone stockpiling these types of objects "as if the idea of early American nationalism is in danger of extinction."

Students Bring Interaction Experience to Life

Specifically, students were asked to create an interaction experience for a robot who can clean, organize, or secure the home. The frilly aproned “Rosie the Robot” from the The Jetsons may come to mind, but the robots conceived by CCA students were so much more.

The fellowship selection process presents a “rare opportunity to survey the best and brightest emerging makers in the field of craft.” It also gives these emerging artists both the validation and financial resources to pursue their dreams.

San Francisco is one of four cities where the ACC, a nonprofit in Minneapolis, annually holds events. "The Bay Area is home to many of the most influential and innovative artists, organizations and patrons of contemporary craft," says the ACC's Diamond.

"Combined with a significant history in craft education with schools such as California College of the Arts, the Bay Area plays an undeniable leading role in the ongoing story of American craft."

When you first enter Enlightenment Room (2008), an immersive environment artwork by Jewelry / Metal Arts faculty member Nick Dong, nothing happens. You walk down a short, mirrored corridor in semi-darkness to a gray cushioned seat that faces the entrance.

But the moment you sit down, light begins to fill the space, and thousands of white, oval tiles glisten into view. Ethereal music fills your ears. The light brightens, and the music intensifies. This experience can last a few minutes, or a few hours, depending on how long you remain seated . . . waiting. The moment you stand, the music and lights fade out.